Macquarie University Hospital has recently invested in the da Vinci surgical system, an advanced robotic surgical tool to boost the hospital’s oncology, urology and gynaecological capabilities. Our doctors will initially use this system for urological cases, with a focus on prostate surgery. However the technology will eventually be utilised by a number of specialities. Around 20,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in Australia every year and one in five Australian men will develop prostate cancer by age 85. It is the most common form of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer deaths in Australian males.

We’re very excited about this new technology to equip our talented surgical team. The new da Vinci surgical system is a minimally invasive technique. The acquisition makes Macquarie University Hospital one of only two hospitals in Sydney to offer this unique and intuitive technology.

Urology is one of Macquarie University Hospital’s core areas of treatment. The da Vinci Surgical System is a robotic technology that facilitates complex laparoscopic procedures. The da Vinci system provides surgeons with all the clinical and technical capabilities of traditional surgery while enabling them to operate through a few tiny incisions, smaller than a centimetre. Delicate tissue can be handled and dissected even in the most confined spaces such as the chest, abdomen and pelvis.

The da Vinci has an ergonomically designed console positioned alongside the patient, where the surgeon sits while operating. Surgeons have an immersive view of the surgical field with extremely high-definition 3D vision, allowing for precision and control. Four interactive robotic arms, which are precisely calibrated, are positioned above the patient. This technology also allows each individual surgeon’s hand movements to be scaled, filtered and translated into precise movements of the instruments that are working inside the patient’s body. The latest da Vinci Robot also has a greater range of hand movement and visual acuity than a human hand. The high-definition 3D image provides the surgeon with unprecedented vision that enables surgical precision around vital structures. This becomes important when performing nerve sparing prostate cancer surgery.

The benefits to patients are immense. It has been well documented that patients experience a faster recovery with a reduced stay in hospital. There is significantly less post-operative pain and a lower risk of infection. Longer term results see reduced scarring and fewer post-operative complications. The Macquarie University Hospital system will be used across several areas of urological surgery. While prostate cancer will be the most common condition to be addressed, the da Vinci system will also be used to treat bladder and kidney cancer. The acquisition of the da Vinci system further enhances Macquarie University Hospital’s reputation as a major centre for minimally invasive urological surgery – with one of the key treatments of urological services being cancer. Cancer services is one of the hospital’s core areas of clinical emphasis. For further details click here

Guest Bloggers – from time to time MUH invites our specialists to provide content on our MUH Blog. Please note that with all guest bloggers the views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the individual and are not necessarily the views of Macquarie University Hospital.

With twenty years of experience treating gynaecological cancers laparoscopically, Dr Felix Chan has begun to offer the same procedure using the da Vinci robotic system. Trained in the US to use the da Vinci System, Dr Felix Chan says that even though he is performing the same operations robotically, as he did laparoscopically, the new approach represents a major medical advance. “Robotic surgery is a ‘quantum leap’ ahead”, said Dr Chan, a gynaecological surgeon at Macquarie University Hospital. “The precision of the instruments, the clarity of vision, the definition of tissue and the access to the small vessels and nerves means that, from a surgeon’s point of view, one can perform complex surgeries with great accuracy.”

While Dr Chan will use the da Vinci primarily to treat gynaecological cancers, the system can also be used for other complex gynaecological operations such as complex gynaecological surgery in pelvic floor reconstruction, uro-gynaecology and pelvic endometriosis. “The system also has broad application,” said Dr Chan. “In the US, utilising this technology is standard when performing hysterectomies and fibroid removals. Indications are that Australia is heading in the same direction.” In his opinion patients having had a hysterectomy robotically seem to recover faster, require a shorter stay in hospital due to less bleeding and less damage to nerves and tissue.

“At Macquarie University Hospital, it is not just about performing the operation,” said Dr Chan. “A patient at this hospital also has access to a remarkable set of other important services, including oncological services, research programs and unique imaging services. It’s all in one place. In addition, wards are aesthetically pleasant and administrative services are electronically advanced.”

To make an appointment with Dr Felix Chan at Macquarie University Hospital please call 9812 3860.

Dr Felix Chan

Guest Bloggers – from time to time MUH invites our specialists to provide content on our MUH Blog. Please note that with all guest bloggers the views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the individual and are not necessarily the views of Macquarie University Hospital.